Stowe Personal Training

And What to Do Instead
(Especially If You’re Just Starting)

She thought the pain meant it was working.
Then her knee gave out.
And the scale didn’t care.

She’d been told to “push through it.”
To trust the process.
To do more reps, more cardio, more stretching, more everything.

But no one told her:
Pain isn’t progress.
And just because an exercise is popular doesn’t mean it’s safe—especially over 50.

The key? Doing it right from the start.

Why Most People Quit (and What You Can Do Differently)

Every January, millions of people join gyms.
By March? Over 80% are gone.
The International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association backs this up—most people stop going within 90 days.

Why?

It’s not laziness.
Many showed up. They worked hard. They did everything they thought they were supposed to.

But it was the wrong work—or the right work done the wrong way.
That led to soreness. Or a tweak. Or an old injury flaring up again.

So they take a break…
And never come back.

And the worst part? They blame themselves.
Not the program. Not the system. Themselves.

And that guilt is what guarantees they’ll do the same thing next year.

The 5-Test Screen That Changes Everything

This is where every client starts at my studio in Central Austin.
Not with a burpee. Not with a squat rack. With this:

Most people don’t quit fitness because they’re lazy.
They quit because they get hurt… or they never feel like they’re doing it “right.”
So instead of guessing, I start everyone with a simple 5-test screen.
Not to scare you. To set you up to win.

This screen tells us what your body’s ready for—so you can start moving again without worrying about flaring something up.

Some of my clients cut their pain in half after just one workout using this approach. Others doubled their strength and flexibility in 12 weeks.

And I’ve got the proof:

“Free one hour assessment. It’s not what you think. He is not trying to sell you during this hour – he will actually take you through a series of movements to assess your skills/abilities.”

– Lavannah, 71

The 5-Test Movement Screen

• Toe Touch Test – Can you touch your toes without pain or bending your knees?

• Squat Test – Can you hit depth, stay on your heels, and not fold like a lawn chair?

• Lunge Test – Can you kneel and stand without pain or tipping over?

• Pushup Test – Can you push up without looking like a worm in distress?

• Itch & Scratch Test – Can both hands meet within 12 inches behind your back?

Think of these five tests like a movement crystal ball.
They don’t just show where you’re tight or weak.
They reveal where injury is waiting to happen—unless we adjust course.
Pass all five? Great—we go full speed ahead.
Struggle with one? That’s not failure. That’s intel.

It’s your body quietly saying, “Train me smarter… and I’ll show you what I can really do.”

Want to Know What to Do After the Screen?

I wrote a short, step-by-step book for people just like you:
The Fitness Checklist for 50+

✅ Includes this exact 5-part screen and how to interpret your score
✅ Tells you exactly what exercises to do based on your results
✅ Removes the guesswork so you can train smart, safe, and strong

You can buy it on Amazon for $19.99 or Kindle for $4.99…
Or download it free and join my email list—where I send practical tips for training over 50 every week.

👉 Download the Checklist for Free

Curious which exercises your body’s actually ready for? You’ll know in five minutes.

Bottom Line

Most programs weren’t built for your body.
And if you’re 50 or older? That matters more than ever.

Forget “no pain, no gain.”
Forget cookie-cutter workouts.
Forget trying to push through what your body’s trying to warn you about.

Keep doing what hurts, or train in a way that actually works.
I know which one I’d choose.